Q. Please tell me what to do with my hibiscus plants that were damaged by frost. They still have some green leaves.
A. Obviously hibiscus don't like the cold and there is likely more damage ahead during the winter months. You could trim off the declining portions as needed or wait until the end of February to remove all the damage. Even if the plants keep some or all their foliage, there is likely to be major leaf loss come spring due to the cool winter temperatures. You could use the expected springtime decline to reshape the plants and remove some of the older stems to encourage new growth and flowers.
Q. I have several peach trees. When is a proper time to prune them and how?
A. The time has arrived to give peach trees a major pruning needed every year to keep then growing in an open habit and giving good production. Some trees may already be swelling their buds and opening blooms but still pruning is needed.
Keep the harvest in easy reach and increase the size of the fruits by removing up to a third of the past season's growth. Remove the center-most growth to create a soup-bowl shape with the outer limbs gradually curving upward. Open the center of the tree to allow good air movement and make pest control easier. Eliminate most branches that grow straight up to keep trees wide and small to medium-sized.
Q. A St. Augustine lawn declined under an oak tree and filled with weeds. What should I do to control the weeds and then add Asiatic jasmine?
A. Ground covers are often a good answer to the shady spots and Asiatic jasmine is one of the best at surviving in the lower light, competing with the tree roots and tolerating drier conditions. The new ground cover can be added any time of the year.
Start this project by controlling all unwanted greenery with a non-selective herbicide like Roundup that allows replanting when the weeds decline. Do not spray the product on plants you want to keep or shoots from the oak tree. If needed, cut these shoots back to the ground by hand.
When the weeds turn yellow to brown, rake them out or mow them down close to the ground. Tilling the soil is not recommended. Plant the new Asiatic jasmine and cover the bare soil with a thin layer of mulch. Keep the ground moist and provide a feeding when the warm weather returns.
Q. We have a Meyer lemon tree that is many years old and needs pruning. Would January or February be a good time?
A. Delay the pruning of all citrus until you start to see the new buds swell. This is the time before growth begins and normally occurs around the middle of February. It is best to prune at this time so not to waste the tree's energy by removing new shoots and foliage. If the winter is warmer than normal, pruning time may have to be adjusted by a week or two to prevent trimming when the tree is making growth.
Q. My banana plants each produced stalks with a few hands of bananas then stopped. What is happening and how can I solve this poor fruiting?
A. Home banana production is often limited to a few hands of bananas per stalk. After the first fruits set, the remaining fruits drop off as the bud continues to open. Fruit set is determined early in the growth of banana plants. The care the plants receive during their entire life in the landscape is important. Regretfully, many gardeners only start the good care program when a flower stalk is noted.
Obtain the best harvests by growing your plants in full sun and keeping the soil moist. Maintain a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch over the root system. Then feed with a general garden fertilizer monthly, March through October.
Q. What is the proper time to transplant crape myrtle and gardenia bushes, now or in the spring? Also, do I prune them back when transplanting?
A. Use this cooler time of the year to move all plants in the landscape. Even though it is a less stressful time for you and the plants, proper moving techniques must be followed. First, make sure the root systems are moist at the time of moving and then obtain large intact root balls. When the plants are relocated, make sure they remain moist.
Most plants are not pruned at the time of moving. University of Florida extension specialists suggest leaving the limbs and foliage helps the plants recover by producing growth hormones that are moved down the stems to encourage new roots.
